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A risky gamble for Renzi

Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi has staked his political future on a ''Yes'' vote victory for his constitutional reform referendum on December 4. Deborah Lutterbeck reports.

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A risky gamble for Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi as pollsters warn his hopes of winning his referendum on constitutional reform are dwindling fast.
Renzi has promised to resign if he loses the December 4th ballot over his plan to reduce the role of the Senate and transfer powers to the central government from the regions.
While opinion polls have now stopped -- the heads of several polling agencies warn that Renzi may be hit by a global wave of anti-establishment sentiment.
Political scientist Franco Pavoncello.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AT JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY IN ROME, FRANCO PAVONCELLO, SAYING:
"If the 'No' wins, Renzi will be definitely weakened. We will have a prime minister who is basically under pressure to resign."
Some voters are ready to cast him out
(SOUNDBITE) (Italian) 83-YEAR-OLD ROME RESIDENT SERGIO SAYING:
"No, I'm wholeheartedly voting no. I don't like Renzi."
(SOUNDBITE) (Italian) ROME RESIDENT ROSELLA SAYING:
"I've never liked Renzi so what can I say? I'm really not in favor of Renzi because I don't like his, I think he makes one mistake after another. That's all."
It's a risky path ahead for the Italian head of state-- amid concerns that the wave of anti-government sentiment will hit Europe's third largest economy next.

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